


Let Us Love Winter

by canthelpmyselves



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M, Mystery, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 10:24:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15884148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canthelpmyselves/pseuds/canthelpmyselves
Summary: Leonard Snart knows he's handsome and rich, but he's also a criminal, a liar and a killer. Not exactly what most people look for when it comes to a relationship. So, when he starts receiving gifts from an anonymous admirer, he's more than a little flattered.





	Let Us Love Winter

There was a small box wrapped in silver wrapping paper with tiny snowflake stickers stuck all over it sitting on the couch of his current apartment. Len looked over at Lisa and Mick who both shrugged as if to say ‘no idea’. Len reached out and picked up the small card propped beside the gift and opened it. On the front of the card were three little rodents, each holding a flower. Underneath the picture it said ‘Have a mice day”

Inside it said ** _‘I adore your sense of humor.’_**.

Len’s eyes widened as he felt a small flutter in his stomach. Someone sent him a pun card?

“Oh god!” Lisa giggled, snatching away the card. “Only you would like that joke! What’s in the box?”

Len had the sudden urge to take the box and card to his room away from prying eyes. Instead, he forced himself to peel away the paper as if unconcerned and open the box. Len felt another flutter as he pulled out the water globe. The scene inside was of Central City Municipal Park and when he shook it a flurry of snow settled over the trees.

“That’s so sweet!” Lisa cooed. “You have a secret admirer!”

Len felt his skin heat up as he stared at the gift. A secret admirer? Him? He knew he was a good looking guy, but in all honesty most people were scared of him. Most of his sexual encounters were drunken one night stands or paid companions. The idea that someone would deliberately seek him out was almost preposterous. 

“How’d they know we were here?” Mick asked.

Len tensed. Good question. Not even the other Rogues knew about this address. It was one he kept private just for the three of them. “Lisa, check the security footage. Mick check with the neighbors. See if they noticed anyone hanging around.”

“What are you going to do?” his sister asked. 

Len held the globe in the cradle of his elbow as he took the card back from Lisa. He raised his chin proudly. “I’m going to go put my present away.”

***

The footage from Len’s security system had been remotely erased. The neighbors hadn’t seen anyone near the apartment. For three days Len debated on whether or not to abandon the space. He often found himself picking up the globe and giving it a gentle shake, like he had just done.

“Lenny! Could you come in here for a moment?” Lisa called from the kitchen.

Len set the globe back down on his desk and walked through the apartment. Mick and Lisa were both standing by the kitchen door, looking a bit amused. “It was left in front of the door,” Mick told him.

He followed their line of sight. Sitting in the center of the kitchen table was a wicker basket with a dark blue bow on the handle. He stepped closer and looked at the contents with surprise. Packets of gourmet hot chocolate, flavored coffee creamers, spoons that had been dipped in chocolate, individually wrapped peppermint sticks, small bags of mini-marshmallows and a tins of imported coffee beans filled the basket. A small paper tag dangled from the bow.

**_Despite your Cold persona, you’re oh so hot!_ **

The flirtatious tone of the note made his entire body heat up. Len swallowed and lifted out one of the spoons. The bowl of the spoon was encased in dark chocolate with tiny chips of toffee embedded in it. It was hand wrapped in a little cellophane bag, so he knew these were not store bought. Someone had taken the time to actually melt chocolate and create these. For him. Each spoon appeared to be a different flavor. One had a dusting of cinnamon. One had white chocolate swirled through the dark. Each of the twelve spoons looked sinfully delicious. 

“Wow,” Lisa said, picking up one of the tins. “This isn’t your regular store bought stuff.”

Mick leaned over Lisa’s shoulder and grunted. “I like Folgers.”

Len grabbed the tin from Lisa and put it back in the basket. “Well, it’s not for you, is it?” he growled. “It’s mine.” he picked up the basket and held it away from them possessively. He shot them another glare and walked out of the kitchen. Once he was back in his room he set the basket on the desk and snipped the string holding the tag on. He opened the desk drawer and placed the tag in the envelope holding the card. 

“Who are you?” he mumbled to himself. His chest was warm at the thought that someone went to so much effort for him.

***

Four days after his received the basket of cocoa and coffee, a small stuffed penguin with a snowflake embroidered on it’s belly had shown up on top of the entertainment center. The penguin came with a tag informing him it’s name was “Icicle”. He was disappointed there was no note, but the jaunty little toy goggles on it’s head made him smile. Whoever left it did so while they were out on a heist. It made losing to Scarlet a little less annoying.

Normally Len limited their time in the apartment for safety reasons. They rarely stayed there for longer than a week. However, when it came time to decide where to go next, he was reluctant to leave. What if his admirer couldn’t find him? 

Three days after that came a hand knitted scarf. It was left in the building’s mailbox, wrapped around a piece of thick card-stock. **_‘Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius. - Pietro Aretino’_** was written in beautiful calligraphy. Underneath the quote his admirer had written **_‘There is so much about you that amazes me. Your body and smile are incredible, but it is your brilliant mind that dazzles me most.’_**

That note had left Len reeling. The sincerity of the words had struck him like a physical blow. The previous gifts had made him feel proud and a little vain. This one, though, made him ache. He liked this feeling. He liked that someone went to so much trouble for him. 

His latest gift had shown up yesterday, delivered by a courier. Inside the cardboard tube Len found a stunning portrait of himself and Lisa done in watercolors. Len was in a light blue sweater and navy slacks, goggles dangling around his neck and cold gun resting over his shoulder, facing forward. Lisa, in a gold top and black jeans, was on his left, standing in profile with her right arm draped around his shoulders and her gun pointed down at the ground. Their heads were tilted toward one another, their foreheads touching, soft smiles of their lips, with an us-against-the-world expression in their eyes. 

There was no note this time, but he had no doubts as to who it was from. The artist’s talent was unmistakable, but it was the devotion he sensed from the portrait that made him fight back tears. His need to know who his admirer was had gone beyond mere vain curiosity or desire. He was more than halfway in love with his mysterious suitor.

***

Len sipped the last of his caramel infused cocoa and stood up to rinse his mug. He placed the mug in the drain just as a soft knock on the front door caught his attention. Cautious, Len walked over and looked out the peep-hole but saw no one in the hall. He opened the door and looked around but saw no one and nothing unusual. He was about to close the door when he saw the envelope taped to the door. 

His hand was slightly shaking as he peeled it off and stepped back inside. Len stared at the front of the envelope for a full minute, memorizing the scrawl of his name across the front. He took in a deep breath, pulled out the single sheet of lined paper inside and began to read.

**_Len,_ **

**_For months I struggled to come to terms with how I felt. I told myself it was just a crush. An infatuation. That the way my heart leapt every time I saw you was strictly lust. When I finally admitted the truth to myself, I had a new dilemma. I knew immediately that any hopes I harbored about you returning my affections were hopeless. If you knew who I am, you would reject me immediately._ **

**_However, I could not resist telling you how much you mean to me. Your strength is astonishing. A lesser man would not have survived what you have. I know of the scars you bear, both physically and mentally. I know of the pain you suffered. I see the strong, confident, intelligent man you have made yourself and I am in awe of what you have done._ **

**_Your beauty is more than your vivid blue eyes or your broad shoulders or even your mesmerizing backside. It’s the way my hearts lifts when you give a rare smile. It’s the way your laugh makes my skin tingle. It’s the love in your eyes when you look at your sister. It’s the way you stand strong against the world’s expectations and prejudices and hold your head high._ **

**_I’m not blind to your less honorable traits. I do not view you with rose-colored glasses. I do not like that you are a thief. I do not like that you have killed. But I do understand why you have lived this life. The way you have endured all the pain and misery life threw at you, and still found the willpower and strength to become the incredible man you are, is more beautiful to me than any art or jewel you ever stole._ **

**_The fact is, you make my days brighter. You make life more exciting. You are a truly wonderful man, Leonard Snart. I will never regret loving you, even if only ever from afar._ **

Len slowly slid down the wall beside the door. His initial reaction was pure joy. His admirer said he loved him. But, as he continued to read he got the distinct impression this was a goodbye. One final missive. The pain in his chest was almost unbearable. Len leaned his head forward and sucked in several deep breaths. A tear splashed onto the note and he froze.

No! Len quickly swiped at his face with his sleeve and pushed back up to his feet. No! He wasn’t letting this be the end of something he never even got to have! So far he had played this pretty passively, eagerly awaiting the next surprise, but doing little to figure out who was sending the gifts. He had hoped his admirer would reveal themselves (possibly in some grand romantic gesture, not that he would ever admit that to anyone). 

Well, if they weren’t going to tell him who they were, he’d just have to find out for himself!

***

The water globe, while beautiful, wasn’t exactly unique. He found that it was available from several shops in Central. The scarf yielded no clues, since it was handmade and yarn was sold almost everywhere. The coffee beans were imported, but he found multiple online site that sold them. The courier place had no record of a delivery to his address, which meant the delivery was either done as a personal favor or the person who made the delivery had stolen/borrowed the uniform. 

Len was beginning to lose hope when he struck gold. Or rather, he struck Icicle. The stuffed penguin, while mass produced, had been customized. The snowflake on it’s belly was not standard. In fact, the snowflake wasn’t even one of the designs the company normally offered. The buyer had to pay extra, far above the normal embroidery fee, for the design. From there it was easy to narrow down who had placed the order. Once Len saw the name on the receipt, he almost had a minor heart attack.

***

“What are you up to, Cold?” the Flash growled as he slid to a stop. “This isn’t your usual style.”

Len smirked and quickly froze over the door, sealing them both inside the small cafe. “You’d know all about my style, wouldn’t you, Scarlet?”

Barry eyed him warily, ready to move quickly out of the way of the next shot. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Len slid his gun into it’s holster and leaned back against the counter behind him. “Someone has been stalking me.”

Barry tensed slightly. “Oh? Acquired some new enemies, Cold?”

Len tilted his head and stared at Barry. “I was hoping you could help me.”

Barry snorted loudly. “Why would I help you?”

“Isn’t that what heroes do?” Len asked. “Help people?”

“I’m not going to help you in some sort of criminal feud,” Barry pointed out. 

“I never said it was a feud,” Len pointed out. “Quite the opposite, in fact. I don’t want to hurt my stalker.” Len hesitated for a second before pushing off the counter and taking a step toward Barry. “I want to talk to him. Tell him how much these past few weeks have meant to me.”

Barry paled slightly but that was his only reaction to Len’s words. Len was impressed. If he didn’t already know Barry was his secret admirer, he would not have picked up the slightest clue from the speedster’s body language. 

“Sounds like a personal issue,” Barry said after a brief silence. “Why should I get involved?”

Len smiled slightly and took another step closer. Barry tensed a bit more, but held his ground. “It’s not just the gifts,” he said softly. “As much as I enjoyed getting them, it was the words that caught my attention. The things he wrote. The way he expressed himself.” He stepped forward again. “The way those words made me feel. No one ever called me beautiful before,” he said, his voice growing husky. “It was the portrait that really got to me. There was so much love in each brush stroke. I knew the moment I saw it that this person truly loved me. They saw me. Not my persona. Not my mask. They saw through to who I am, inside. And they love me for it.”

Len inhaled slowly and took the final step separating them. “Reading those words means so much to me, but…” he took a deep breath. “But I need to hear you say it,” he whispered. “Please, Barry.”

Barry’s eyes were swimming with unshed tears. He shivered as he reached up and slowly pushed back his cowl. He blinked a couple of times and bit down hard on his bottom lip, leaving an impression of his teeth. “I love you, Len,” he whispered. 

Moving at a speed even the Flash would find impressive, Len rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Barry’s waist, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. It was frantic and sloppy, but neither of them minded. When breathing became an issue, Len pulled away from Barry’s lips, but pressed their foreheads together. 

“I love you, too,” he gasped. “God, Scarlet! I love you so much!”

Barry looked at him with amazement. “You love me? How? Why? But… but you hate me!”

Len chuckled as he raised a hand to Barry’s neck, lightly tracing the thudding pulse he found there. “I could never hate you, Barry. You challenge me. You make me better. Not just as a thief. As a man. Your words… My god, Barry. You have no idea how incredible your words are to me.”

Barry smiled shyly. “I mean them, Len. You are so much more than a cold gun or Lewis Snart’s son. You are the incredible one.”

Len kissed him several times before daring to point out the obvious. “No one is going to approve,” he warned.

Barry sighed and nodded. “Not at first. Maybe not ever. Is... is that a deal breaker for you?”

Len shook his head quickly. “Not for me. But Scarlet, your family, your job... you’d be risking a lot.”

Barry smiled softly. “Yesterday I told myself I would never kiss you or hold you or have your love. I didn’t believe you could ever feel the same. But now? Knowing you do? Nothing can make me walk away from this but you, Len. As long as you love me, I’m yours.”

Len gave him a sincere smile. “Forever, then, Scarlet. Forever.”

**Author's Note:**

> Many of the stories I'll be posting over the next few days were originally posted on fanfiction, but I had three stolen and reposted by other people so I took them all down and decided to only post on AO3. Sorry if the sudden dump of stories upsets anyone, but I feel the need to get them back out there.


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